Drouin unhappy in Tampa Bay?

[The Black Panther]

Let the rumours begin.....


Sports Hockey STANLEY CUP
Tale of two NHL youngsters: Lightning's Drouin watches from stands as Hawks' Teravainen enjoys spotlight


Toronto Sun First posted: Thursday, June 04, 2015 09:51 PM EDT | Updated: Thursday, June 04, 2015 10:18 PM EDT
Jonathan Drouin of the Tampa Bay Lightning skates during the practice day prior to the 2015 NHL Stanley Cup Finals at Amalie Arena on June 2, 2015. (Bruce Bennett/Getty Images/AFP)


TAMPA - A contrasting tale of 20-year-olds in the Stanley Cup Final finds lesser-known Teuvo Teravainen in the hero’s spotlight while superstar-in-waiting Jonathan Drouin quietly and uncomfortably seethes.
Game 1 of the Final may have been Teravainen’s coming-out party, his personal stamp of arrival as an NHL player of consequence.
The more troubling and baffling story, though, centres around the highly skilled Drouin, third pick in the NHL draft, on a Tampa team that gets next to no offence from its third and fourth lines, and of a coach who seemingly has no faith or belief in his apparent future star.
Smooth Jon Cooper has rolled his eyes more than once in the playoffs when asked about Drouin. It’s his way of saying ‘Next question’ without words.
He has scratched Drouin from 18 of Tampa Bay’s 21 post-season games and barely found a place for him in the other three. He is tired of talking about him.
And after losing Game 1 to Teravainen’s goal and game-winning assist, he seems no more inclined to push him into the Lightning lineup now than he has been previously.
“That’s what happens to players of that skill level,” Cooper said of Teravainen. “Pucks have eyes for those guys.
“Is that going to hopefully happen for Jo? For sure, we hope that.”
And then he said: “We’re going to put the 20 guys in we think can win us games.”
A vote of confidence for Drouin, it wasn’t. Privately and sometimes publicly Cooper will tell people the kid isn’t ready. But if there once was trust between the coach and the player, there doesn’t seem to be any of it left.
In Round 2 of the playoffs, with Drouin clearly growing frustrated, Cooper was urged to meet with his player.
Normally, he avoids talking to or making eye contact with Drouin. Their meeting didn’t necessarily go well. Cooper told him it was a process to work his way into the Tampa lineup.
He told Drouin to be patient. He told him he’s going to be a superstar one day.
And then he said about the present: “It’s not your time.”
Drouin had been quiet and respectful until that moment. But he couldn’t help himself.
“Why isn’t it my time?” he responded.
“It just isn’t,” Cooper apparently told him.
That ended the meeting.
Chicago has 18 goals from its third- and fourth-line players in the playoffs to date. Both goals in Game 1 came from its third line.
Tampa has four goals from its third and fourth line.
Still, Cooper is not necessarily moved to make any alterations. Steve Yzerman, the general manager, could step in and force Cooper’s hand but that isn’t how he operates.
Like a lot of general managers, he ardently believes that the coach should have final say on his roster. Some have suggested that Yzerman and Cooper disagree on how Drouin should be brought along.
But to date, Yzerman has sided with his coach. The animosity between player, coach and management might eventually force an off-season deal of some kind.
But it’s too soon for anyone to make that kind of declaration now. The Yzerman situation is the complete opposite of a story Dale Tallon has told more than once.
He was general manager of the Chicago Blackhawks when Patrick Kane was his first draft pick. Denis Savard was the coach. On the opening night of the NHL season, Tallon looked at the early gamesheet and saw that Savard had scratched the rookie Kane from the lineup.
Tallon didn’t react well. He marched down to the dressing room and had a conversation with his coach. Savard told him Kane wasn’t ready. Tallon used a few choice words.
Kane was in the lineup. He hasn’t been out of the lineup since. That was Savard’s last full season coaching the Chicago Blackhawks.
Teravainen, with mini-Kane-like skill, six months older than Drouin, played just 34 games for Chicago this season. He only scored four goals and nine points. But his next playoff point will be his ninth.
He could soon become one of those rare players who offered more scoring in the playoffs than he did in the first season.
Five times this post-season Joel Quenneville has scratched him from Chicago’s lineup. It’s unlikely he’ll scratch him again.
Drouin played in 70 games for Tampa Bay during the season, most of it on the lower lines, not much of it on the power play.
He still somehow managed 32 points, a number not be scoffed at considering how and when he was used. He also had a positive plus-player rating and he ranks near the top in the major offensive analytical categories. But he has no points and no trust from his coach in these playoffs.
When or if he plays for Tampa Bay again is anyone’s guess. Teravainen will play for Chicago Saturday night. And Tuesday after that.
One young man finding his place.
One quietly seeing red, and it’s not Blackhawks red.

[rataylor22]

Whiney young kids thinking they know more than their coach. I think Tampa has done pretty well without Drouin. He should probably keep his mouth shut.

[2014olympicgold]

I get his frustration, being played all yr and doing well with the minutes given, but come playoff time he is in the dog house all of a sudden. However, when a team gets to the cup final, they have been doing something right for the previous 3 series, no coach will change it up now. It’s no time now to experiment with lines and chemistry (which is a massive part of TBL game), next yr is the time to mess around with Stamkos and Drouin together.

Be patient Drouin, people have had a much harder road to the NHL than you, just be patient. However, I see him as a greedy player and wanting the spotlight “Now”. In the WJC when they lost, Drouin tried about 3 times in the final 10minutes to go end-to-end without even looking at his teammates. Tons of skill, but needs to look for his teammates, especially if he is to play with Stamkos.

[ultrawhiteness]

I'm having a good time imagining Simmons folded up in a cabinet in the corner of the room spying on that Drouin-Cooper meeting.

How the hell does he get quotes that detailed from a private meeting? goof.

[ericdaoust]

I'd be more worried if Drouin was perfectly happy with sitting on his ass.

[Bass56]

I'd be more worried if Drouin was perfectly happy with sitting on his ass.

Very true!

There's passion, and there's whinning... Hopefully, this is fueled by passion!

[JagrBomb]

i can only imagine what it feels like to know your organization wishes they selected the guy who went next instead of you.

[Big Ev]

Drouin = Daigle

[Hooker]

Drouin = Daigle

I know you're not a big fan of Drouin, but Daigle....really? If you truly believe that you need to take of the hate blinders.


As a player, I'd be annoyed too if the article has any merit to it. i.e. if the question asked is "why isn't it my time" and the response is "it's just not". I would expect a good coach to explain exactly the reasons why...and what he needs to work on. Having said that I'm quite certain that there was way more dialogue that that simple exchange.

Hooker

[Shake]

It's not like TT has played in every playoff game and has not made mistakes and not been a healthy scratch on numerous occasions in these playoffs. I think this writer is just throwing some some paint on the wall just to see how it splatters. TT has plenty of growth ahead of him and if it wasn't for that goal this article probably does not come to life at this time.

Drouin may be frusterated, or may not be. But it's good to see a kid who wants to freakin' play. I dig that. Let him get even more pissed and motivated. He's a good player and his time is likely to come at some point.

I'm not really a fan of this article though. I don't think it's all that accurate and put together all that well. But that's just my take.

[Loch]

i can only imagine what it feels like to know your organization wishes they selected the guy who went next instead of you.

The guy who went 6th that year has looked pretty good too...

[NAParker77]

I've discussed this in my Ramblings for tomorrow, with a link to the article. Really enjoyed the Tallon-Savard-Kane angle.

Really think this goes one of two directions.

The Kyle Turris route or the Ryan Johansen one. As in, Drouin takes a stand or the Lightning extend the olive branch, which unlike Johansen's case, is a commitment to playing him next season.

Without question, Tampa Bay is better with Drouin in the lineup. They're utilizing Nikita Nesterov in a manner that Drouin could easily thrive in.

[rainydrinkwater]

Too many people expect too much from too many young players too soon. Some can come in and at 18-21 (yrs of age) or so already contributing and showing the promise of their potential. The majority of time, it's more than normal and expected that prospects only develop enough to be consistent contributors 3-4-5+ years after being drafted. It's especially more likely to happen with young and physically immature players on stacked NHL teams.

It seems to me that if we go back a few years, the fantasy hockey community in general was far more patient with developing prospects.

[Big Ev]

I've discussed this in my Ramblings for tomorrow, with a link to the article. Really enjoyed the Tallon-Savard-Kane angle.

Really think this goes one of two directions.

The Kyle Turris route or the Ryan Johansen one. As in, Drouin takes a stand or the Lightning extend the olive branch, which unlike Johansen's case, is a commitment to playing him next season.

Without question, Tampa Bay is better with Drouin in the lineup. They're utilizing Nikita Nesterov in a manner that Drouin could easily thrive in.

Based on? They just made the Final without him.

- - - Updated - - -

I know you're not a big fan of Drouin, but Daigle....really? If you truly believe that you need to take of the hate blinders.


As a player, I'd be annoyed too if the article has any merit to it. i.e. if the question asked is "why isn't it my time" and the response is "it's just not". I would expect a good coach to explain exactly the reasons why...and what he needs to work on. Having said that I'm quite certain that there was way more dialogue that that simple exchange.

Hooker

lighthearted comment. But Daigle was decent

[fungchen3]

I'd be more worried if Drouin was perfectly happy with sitting on his ass.

This.

He didn't come off as whiny to me, just frustrated and angry. I actually liked his question, "why aren't I ready?" To me the means he wants answers. I'd be far more concerned about a player who is content with eating nachos in the press box while their team is in the Finals.